COVID-19 UPDATE

A COVID-19 patient who was receiving treatment for a heart condition has reportedly died. The patient who died last night, was one of four new cases diagnosed just today.

Further to the numbers reported last night, the further details are as follows:

- The cases in Stann Creek are all related to a previously identified case (all members of a family/same household)

- The cases reported in Belize District are in Belize City (4 related to previously identified cases, the rest are being traced for any link)

- Cases in Orange Walk (mostly in Yo Creek but cases also in Guinea Grass, San Jose Palmar, August Pine Ridge, Orange Walk Town)

- Cases in Cayo District (include Belmopan, Benque Viejo, San Jose Succotz, Bullet Tree, Duck Run and Santa Elena)

The Central Medical Laboratory is not running any batch of samples today as they are preparing samples for processing tomorrow as well as routine quality control measures.

We can also confirm that in four samples processed today using the GeneXpert template, 4 new cases are being reported (the infographic tomorrow will reflect this)

- 1 in a patient being treated for a heart condition who died while receiving treatment at a private facility last night. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was done post mortem.

- 3 cases in field officers involved in contact tracing and mapping exercises

For now, 2 patients remain intubated at KHMH and 2 others remain in the isolation area. No other region is reporting critically ill patients at this time.

Please continue to exercise all the necessary precautions at all times.